Bruce Pearl said on Monday that he thanked God for the blessing he and Auburn Tigers men’s basketball team received when he thought of the idea of speaking for Edan Alexander-a Israeli-American held hostage of Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
Pearl became Viral on Saturday night as he spoke during the team’s press conference after a win against Creighton to move on to Sweet 16 by NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
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Auburn -Head coach Bruce Pearl speaks with the media during the NCAA tournament first round -practice in Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, March 19, 2025. (Aaron Doster-Preferred Pictures)
He explained why he decided to speak during a performance on “Fox & Friends.”
“I was going to the press conference and talking almost the game, but I went down in the hallway with my players and it came to me,” he said. “I thanked God for the blessings we have had. And in some ways he spoke to me. He said, ‘Remember where you came from. Take advantage of this opportunity.’
“Then I asked the guys, ‘guys if it’s ok if I bring up Edan Alexander’s name. The only American we think still live is held hostage.’ They said, ‘Coach, there’s an American hostage.
Pearl explained that he believed that Jewish people in the United States are the silent majority, and it is breaking their hearts to see protests in favor of Hamas.
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The then President Donald Trump is seen posing with a photo of Edan Alexander on October 7, 2024 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
“It breaks the Israelis when they see the protests in our country and people supporting Hamas and supporting this terrorism,” he said. We are so close to peace in the Middle East with some wonderful Arab nations who want to support the Abraham Agreements. But there is a segment of the population who, since Israel’s existence, has wanted the Jews to have died from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River and calls for an intifada. It is just a call for violence and death to Jews. And we are a silent majority in this country.
“And then I just feel like so much of our success at Auburn has been because we pray first. We thank God for you know, for the blessings. And I am grateful to be a citizenland and be Jewish. We got to call the difference between this good and this evil.”
Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American solids, is one of the 59 hostages still in Gaza. More than half of the hostages held by Hamas Terrorists are believed to have died.
Hamas said it would release Alexander and the bodies of four hostages that were held there since October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks if Israel was resumed to a ceasefire agreement.
“I am asked a lot about how this basketball program has become so competitive for the past eight years,” Pearl said on Saturday. “But for me, I think it was God’s plan to give us this success, success beyond what we deserve. To give us this platform. To give us an opportunity to start this conference short and remind the world that Edan Alexander is still held hostage in Gaza right now. An American held hostage and not enough people in this country know his name.”
Auburn Tiger’s main coach Bruce Pearl calls his team during the first half against Alabama State Hornets in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, March 20, 2025. (Jordan Prather-IMAGN images)
Pearl was asked why he felt the need to talk about the hostages.
“October 7 was the worst day since the Holocaust for the Jewish people, and they say they will do it again and again. We have American hostages in Gaza right now, and it’s unacceptable,” Pearl said. “And President Trump called it out and said that if they just release the hostages, the killing would stop. Release the hostages and the killing stops, and it’s up to Hamas.”
